Process of producing manure from peat.



PATENTED MAY 22, 1906 C. H. J. VAN HABPTBN.

PROCESS OF PRDDUCING MANURE PROM PEAT.

APPLICATION rnmn 23.29. 190s. w

l E 7 l 'aa s I T o l ETE o J0,

53u24 his @MMM/SN i e WMM/temes f I -ervoirs may be provided, one containing the NITED STATES ifATENI oFFIoE.-

@ORNELIS HENDRIK JOHAN VAN HAEFTEN, or 'IIIE I-IAGUE, NETHER- LANDs. y

PROCESS OF PRODUCING MANURE FROM PEAT.

No. 821,555.A

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, Y1906.

Application filed April 29,1905. Serial No. 258,116.

To all, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIS HENDRIK JOHAN vAN HAEFTEN, a subj ect of the Queen ot the Netherlands, residing at Oude Scheveningscheweg 5, The Haguefletherlands, have invented a new and useful Process of Producing Manure from eat; and I do herebydeclare the following to a full,- clear, and exact'description of the same.

This invention relates to the treatment of peat, especially for the production of a manure, and has for its object the rapid and economical treatment of peat;

I aim to bring into solution all parts of humus and other ingredients present in peat and soluble in water, including combinations of nitrogen, potash, and phosphorus, which are of great value for the nutrition of plants.

It is well known that water when used alone acts slowly upon the humus constituents in the peat, and in order to hasten the action of the water I mix ammonia therewith. As a resultI the humus constituents are dissolved as well as other ingredients soluble in ammonia, but insolublein water. By the employment of ammoniaas the valuable manure materials 'are uick y extracted from the peatV and in a high y-concentrated condition.

My present invention also includes the reuse of the ammonia.

While I may use any suitable apparatus for treating leat according to my invention, in order to ma e its soluble ingredients more free the apparatus preferred and illustrated in the accompanying drawing is somewhat like a diffusion-battery and comprises a plurality of closed vessels connected together for lixiviation of peat with water containing ammonia.4 Such preferred apparatus is more fully described and is claimed in a companion application, Serial No. 258,115, filed April 29, 1905, for Letters Patent of the United States.

In practicing my new process the ammonia is liberated in the form of gas from a solution and flowing through the apparatus dissolved in or admixed with water. Two ressolution of ammonia and the second reservoir containing water. The reservoirs (either or both) may be cooled or heated, as required. An air pump with its pipe connections serves to create a circulation of air from the water-reservoir, through the ammonia-reser- Avoir, and through the battery. The moving air carries ammonia with it and part remains in the vessels. .The main 'quantity is, however, taken up by the water in the reservoir, which may be maintained at a low temperature. If after a given time it is found that the ammonia has all passed over into the water or the latter is saturated with ammonia, the ammonia may be reconduct-ed tc the proper reservoir.4 It is obvious, therefore, that the ammonia may be continuously circulated or reused, as desired, without loss.

In carrying out my new process in the manner preferred by me ground peat (G P in the drawing) mixed with water is filled into one or more vessels (two vessels a and p are shown for this purpose in the drawing) to any extent desired. The peat will preferably andhpreyious to being placed in the vessels be washed with dilute ip riatic acid for the purpose of dissolving lime and then washed with water to -{iiove the traces of the muriatic acid. The practice of the method will also be facilitated by the employment of two reservoirs, one, l), contain- .ing ammonia in solution and the other, c, containing water, and the reservoirs and vessels are arranged so that circulating air will first pass through the ammonia solution, then through the mixture of water and ground peat, and then through water in the gef several vessels, and, as shown in drawing, y

pipes also connect said reservoirs together in series and with an air-pump e. The vessels, especially a and p, may be surrounded with jackets g, and coiled pipes or other cooling or heated devices connected with suitable sup 1y means are iitted between the jackets an the exterior of the affected vessel. The

vessels a and p are provided with all necessary accessories, such as filling ports, dlscharge-doors, manometer, thermometer, sight-glasses, manholes, &c. I have shown the vessels also provided with ports k to permit the introduction of an aerometer to measure the density of the solution. The density may also be measured by drawin a small part of the solution through a suitale discharge-cock- Ammonia solution is filled into the reservoir b, and clean water is filled into the reser- Voir c. the reservoir c may be cooled.

Assuming that the cocks m are opened and the cocks n and o are closed, the pump c is set at work. The air will then circulate, as indicated by solid arrows, through the pipe d upwardly through the ammonia solution, thence upwardly through the peat and water in vessel a, thence u wardly through the peat and water in vesse p, and finally u wardly through the water in reservoir c, bac to the pump e. The cited action of the pump causes rarefication of air in reservoir c and increased pressure in reservoir b. Ammoniagas liberated in the reservoir b (owing to the heating by the surrounding coil) is carried to the circulating air and passing through the peat and water mixtures in vessels a and p causes solution of the soluble peat ingredients. A part of the ammonia-gas mixes, of course, wlth the liquids in the vessels a and p, but the remainder passes over into the water in vessel c, where it passes into solution. When all of the ammonia-gas is extracted from and taken up by the liquids in the vessels a and p and in the reservoir c, the ammonia may be separated from such liquids in any suitable manner by agitation, blowing, or otherwise. The result sought may be easily and quickly effected with the apparatus illustrated by reversing the circulation through the apparatus in the direction indi cated by the dotted arrows. For this purpose the tops of the vessels a and p may be connected directly with the bottom of the air pump by locking other connections and openlng successively the cocks o and the cocks m and n, as well as the cocks which connect the pump with the pipe d, extending downwardly into the reservoir c, and the cock n, which opens from the top of the reservoir b. A circulation of the air, as indicated by the dotted arrows, will therefore bring the ammonia back to the reservoir b. During this o eration the vessels a and p may be heated) to facilitate the exhaustion ofthe ammonia. When all ammonia has been re- The reservoir b may be heated and leased in this manner from the water and peat mixtures, the cocks fn, and o are closed, while the cocks lml are opened. The reservoir c is then heated, inasmuch as the tem erature of the outside air requires this, and t e reser- Voir b is cooled. As a result when the airpump is operated there is a rapid circulation 1n the direction of the dotted arrows. When the desired density of the solution in the vessels a, and p has reached a sufiicient degree to be measured by the insertion of an aerometer, the weighted doors of such vessels are opened, and the contents are emptied after being freed of ammonia, as described.

The discharged material maybe dried and s read on the soil in powdered form and used a one or in mixture with other manure.

Among the advantages due to employing my process I may mention the fact that n0 ammonia-gas is lost, but that a Singlesllpply of such gas may be reutilized as often as desired, forasmuch as it is not in combination with the hurnic acid of the peat.

If desired, the process may be carried out without employing a body of water separate from the ammonia solution. In such event the ammonia-gas may bepumped through the mixture of ground peat and water, and when the latter is fully saturated with ammonia or all of the ammonia is removed from the ammonia solution the mixture of peat and water is subjected to a suction or agita,- tion to remove theammonia and return it to the ammonia solution. Heat may be availed of to facilitate such exhaustion.

What I claim is- 1. The process for production of manure from peat, consisting in mixing ground peat with water, and circulating ammonia-gas through such mixture.

2. The process for production of manure from peat, consisting 1n mixing ground peat with water, circulating ammonia-gas through such mixture, and then circulating air through the mixture to drive off the ammonia.

3. The process for production of manure from peat, consisting 1n mixing ground peat with water, mixing ammonia-gas therewith, and subjecting the mass to suction to recover the ammonia.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CORNELIS HENDRIK JOHAN VAN HAEFTEN.

Witnesses:

I. I. HELsDoN RIx, W. MARKOE.

IOO

IlO 

